(Caffeinated) Knitting keeps me (chemically) balanced.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

-11 degrees people...-45 windchill!! That's what we woke up to this morning in Wisconsin. The schools were closed, but my office wasn't. Thankfully, there were a few handknit items in my closet that I could wear to work. Ski sweater, matching hat, mittens, and scarf...I stayed nice and toasty.

Imagine how nice it was so come home to a bit of sunshine in the mailbox. On Friday, Sundara posted that she'd updating her sock yarn Saturday. Though I'm currently "downsizing" the household stash, it was hard to resist.

Besides, it was more "preparatory" stash enhancement. The Mystic Light KAL starts March 26th and uses fingering weight yarn. Since the last clue of the shawl will be released April 23rd Tuscan Rose over Lemon seemed perfect for spring.

Of course, that meant that I still needed a skein to try knitting Sundara's sock yarn into socks. Thinking again towards spring (and out of my color comfort zone), the yellow Lemon Chiffon seemed just the thing. Besides, the Lemon is the "base" for the blended skeins. If there's anything left after the shawl, the Lemon will be the perfect compliment. See, so frugal...and hoping for warmer weather!

The Leaf Lace Scarf is complete. It's not blocked, but the knitting is finished. Jodi left a comment that she has completed one as well that still needs blocking.

That got me to thinking. Since Celia is hosting International Pajama Day on Sunday, maybe we should have a "block party" on Saturday. You know, we could block all of our nearly finished projects so that on Sunday we could knit without thinking about the poor unblocked knits we have sitting around.

Monday, January 28, 2008

During the holidays there were a number of posts in the blogosphere that wondered why it seemed that bloggers were only posting finished projects. Readers wanted to see the progress shots.

I can understand how it happened. On the one hand, a number of people had turned knitting into a covert operation due to the fact that their projects were gifts: no posts occurred about the project until the recipient had opened it.

On the other hand, a number of people were probably just "victims" of time marching on (as I was this past weekend). Case in point, the Leaf Lace Scarf.

Forty-four grams (387 yards) of leftover Yarn Chef Buttercream from my Mystic Waters Shawl (which BTW still needs blocking!) was cast on Friday afternoon for the scarf. Knitting off and on over the weekend it has grown to the point where there are only SIX repeats worth of yarn left before this baby is finished!! The pattern is hypnotic, I tell you!

Time marched right on past...if it doesn't get blogged now, it'll be finished before it's blogged. Hence, my point- The next time you see a finished project show up on a blog without progress shots, just remember; time waits for NO knitting blogger!!

Friday, January 25, 2008

So, you liked my version of a "bucket list". As I mentioned, the next bucket is being filled with projects or yarns that I'd really like to knit up. Six to eight projects in the bucket is enough. It's just enough to distract me from stash enhancing because these were each enhancements at one time or another.

While filling the bucket, a fair amount of time was spent on Ravelry looking at patterns. My queue has over 60 projects that I've marked as ones to knit! (And that's just the ones I've marked!)

There were a lot of sock patterns in there. Some of them I'd already marked which yarns to use to knit them up with. Ah ha! An idea! In light of the fact that I failed to get into The Loopy Ewe sock club and have a plentiful stash of sock yarn, it was time to start my own sock club.

The newest bucket already holds three pairs of socks so my "Brown Bag Sock Club" will begin in March. Each bag has a skein (or two) of sock yarn and the pattern to be used is written on the front. The bags sit atop my stash cubes as a constant reminder. Notice that in March I'll also be able to check a pattern off my "Last Person on Earth to Knit List": Monkey!

January and stash reduction goals go hand in hand. It sure feels good!!!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

I love this time of year! I love to look out the back window to see the full moon shining down on me. Simultaneously, the view out the front reveals the first glimpse of the rising sun. With the fresh layer of snow, it's magical!

My knitting lists reveal a similar dichotomy: "Quickie" project list on the one side and "Full-blown" project lists on the other. And then there is the "I Must be the Last Person on Earth to Knit fill in the blank" project list. Yes, we're big on lists around here.

One that I can finally check off the list is: Fetching. These were also on the "Gifts from Secret Pals" project list. These were a gift from Sherrill. She had a flair for sending quickie projects...these just didn't get into the queue before now. (She also has started her own podcast.)

Fetching should be a quickie knit. It only took a few hours. However, these would've been finished yesterday except for getting hooked by a movie: The Lake House. It should've come with a "10-Tissue" Alert! Not a good thing when you're already suffering with a cold! Anyway...

Editorial note: Internet Explorer locked up on me not once, but twice while writing the above....I'm so sorry you didn't get to read the original version, it's lost in the ethernet. Sadly, it was a much better, funnier post and I simply didn't have it in me for the third attempt!

Speaking of movies, remember this photo? My own version of a "Bucket List". The bucket's nearly empty. A new bucket is being filled. A visual list...it's fetching!

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

C is for Calendar....Knitters Calendar. Would you like to find an event near you? This is the place to search.

Speaking of calendars, it's time to mark yours for Super International Pajama Day on Sunday, Feb. 3rd. Celia has done it again! Can you think of a more perfect day than one spent in pjs with your knitting!?!

Sure, it's also Super Bowl Sunday, but if your team is playing in the Super Bowl I bet that either a) you already have some pajamas in their colors or 2) you'd buy pajamas in your team's colors just to show your support. I won't be spending the day in green and gold pajamas...my options are open!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

The sun goes down another day. Fresh snow...eight or more inches of it.

Unfortunately, the sun has not gone down on my "crud". In fact, I took the rare day off because of it! Now, imagine you have to sit and rest for an entire day...did I mention that your head is "clear"?

Yes, that's right...knit, knit, knit.

Let me introduce you to 2008 Pair #3. These are my new knee socks. US0 Addis...toe up...72 sts...short row heel...baby fern stitch pattern. The yarn is Tofutsies in colorway "Put Your Foot Down". Appropriate since these were started the night my foot went down for its new tattoo.

I'm shocked that these fit my size 11 feet AND go up to my knees! Shocked as well that in just over 3 weeks there are now three completed pairs of socks. Time for some mittens!!!

Monday, January 21, 2008

No, not the football game...the final minutes of the game our hearts were racing for the Packers. In the end, they didn't manage to pull off a win. The good news is that their loss means that I won't "have to" purchase Packer sock yarn for the Super Bowl thereby keeping my stash goals intact.

As if the loss wasn't upsetting enough, discovering a major blowout in my Scottish Highlands socks this morning was truly defeating. (Or should that be de-feeting!?!) I was so excited when my SP8 pal, India, gifted the yarn to me. This sucks!

From the looks of the heels, it appears that the other sock is due to have a blow-out soon as well. The sad thing is that these were made with the medium weight Socks that Rock. Imagine if I'd used the lightweight version. I have some yarn leftover and might try darning these.

Ever thought of that word: darn. After all the work that goes into these socks when a hole appears, one of the first words that comes to mind is "darn"...or the slightly harsher version. I'm sure those women years ago may have been uttering a few darns while fixing the socks as well. Darn blow out!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Green Bay is also known as the "Frozen Tundra". Today, it'll live up to that name.

Of course, the cold doesn't stop us from lighting the charcoal to grill brats and burgers for a tailgate party! There is so much excitement in WI at the moment, Packer Fever is everywhere. This was the tailgate spread from our office party on Friday. (How will we top that if they go to the Super Bowl!?!)

This morning, however, I woke up with my throat ablaze.

Thankfully we cooked ham bones and chicken bones (not together) to make broths yesterday. Today, in honor of the "green and gold", we made broccoli cheese soup with the chicken broth. (In case you're wondering, tomorrow's soup will be bean w/ham.)

Some soup, plenty of hot tea with honey, a nap and my knitting...should be right as rain soon. Now if only I had some Packer themed knitting.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

The 2008 ABC Along is officially underway. It's been fun trying to decide what to use for A.

Of course, "A is for Apple" is the first thing that comes to mind. All of those school lessons, all of the baby books...it's always "A is for Apple". However, this is a knitting blog. So then, the "obvious" choice would be "A is for Alpaca". However, Vicki was genius and instructed us to make it personal. Therefore...

A is also for Ankle socks; that's what I usually knit for myself. But the socks that were started while getting my tattoo are virtually knee socks! (Don't ask me why the sock photo is SO blue...maybe my camera no longer knows how to work with real daylight!

Now that A is completed, it's time to start thinking up a submission for B that doesn't involve my name.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

It's been a Loopy week...as in The Loopy Ewe. It was on my calendar to check Sheri's blog Monday morning for information on signing up for this year's sock club.

(You may remember the sock clubs that were considered prior to Christmas. At the time, it was decided to wait and see if the urge to join was still strong after the holidays. When word came out that Loopy Ewe would soon be opening this year's club, there was much excitement here. After all, Sheri and her elves provide THE BEST customer service and it would be sure that the sock club would be full of all of the little extras that I've come to expect from The Loopy Ewe.)

Wednesday: Word from Sheri came that there were 225 member slots and more than twice that had emailed requests for slots. A lottery would occur for the 120 slots that were available to new members (previous members were "in" if they chose to be). Winners would be announced on Thursday.

Thursday: A beautiful sight in my front door step. I was a lucky Loopy shopper: 3 skeins of Wollmeise were mine. With a cloudy day here, my camera's flash has washed out the colors. That's right, washed out...the blues are darker and richer than shown here!

And that is where my luck ended. The email arrived this evening letting me know that mine was not a name that had been added to the Loopy Sock Membership roles. On one hand, I was already lucky. On the other hand, it would have been nice. On the other hand, I have enough yarn to create my own sock-a-month club. On the other hand, it would be fun to have some new patterns. On the other hand, this will help save $$$$ by not increasing my stash. On the other hand...all of these hands are reminding me....time to make some mittens!!!

In the meantime, Loopy Ewe had a sneak-up (new stock goes up for sale at an unannounced time). I've been lucky in the past. Tuesday, I was lucky again.